Part 17

2 weeks later

"Any news?" Elijah asked tensely, although he could already guess the answer.

"No, my lord, I am afraid not," one of Niklaus' lackeys replied. "The trackers have not been able to find anything."

"Keep looking. I want her found, no matter what it will take."

"Yes, my lord."

Elijah buried his face in his hands as soon as the younger vampire had left the room. The last few weeks had been nothing but torture to him. If anything had happened to Dafne… He would never be able to forgive himself. She had left because of him and now she was out there all alone. Unprotected. His sweet little Dafne. She should be here where she belonged. She should be with him. He missed her so much that it hurt.

He missed her calming presence, her patience, her soft voice, her warm skin, her sweet blood… She had been by his side for so long that he didn't know what to do without her. She had always been there when he had needed her. He had just somehow thought that she belonged to him. He had thought that she was happy like this; it had never occurred to him that she would want to sleep with someone else. Especially with Niklaus.

When Elijah had seen her with his brother, his first thought had been that Niklaus was trying to take her from him. He understood now how selfish he had been. What right did he have to deny Dafne from sleeping with someone else if she wanted to? Things would be different when she would come back home. He would pay more attention to her needs instead of acting like an ass.

Maybe he didn't like the idea of her being with someone else, but he was determined to learn to tolerate it. Hopefully she would agree to choose someone else than Niklaus. However, when she would return, he wasn't planning to let her leave from his bed for a while. He intended to concentrate on fulfilling her needs.

To be perfectly honest, he had never thought that she had very strong urges. When they have had sex, he had obviously made sure that she enjoyed it as much as he did, but she had never made the first move or requested anything. Yet she had clearly been satisfied when he had held her afterwards, so he had thought that everything was fine.

He had thought that everything was like it was supposed to be. She had been his loyal companion and a beloved friend and in return he had tried his best to give her everything she needed and look after her. Now he could see that he had failed. Hopefully she would give him a chance to make it all up to her.

"My lord?" a female voice suddenly said.

Elijah looked up and saw a young maid. She had an envelope in her hand.

"This was just brought to you."

"Thank you," he murmured and took the envelope.

The maid curtsied and left the room. Elijah recognized the handwriting on the envelope immediately. Quickly he ripped it open and pulled a letter out.

My dear Elijah

I am writing this letter because I wish you to know that I am alright. I do not know how you feel about my departure, but I can assure you that it was not my intention to hurt you. As painful as the decision was, I had to leave. I needed to find a life of my own, I simply could not stay.

Things were difficult after I left, I do not deny that, but everything is better now. I found work as a scribe and I am hoping to build some kind of life for myself. That is what I need to do. For myself. I truly hope that you can understand and forgive me. My feelings for you will never change, even if you would hate me after reading this letter. I am and always will be yours.

Dafne

Klaus

I am writing this letter because I wish to remind you of our agreement. I fulfilled my part and I trust you will keep your word and fulfill yours. Take care of yourself and your family. Please.

Dafne

Klaus stared at the very short letter for a long while before throwing it into the fireplace. He felt nothing but anger. How dared she? First she had run from him and now she thought she could give him orders? Everything had finally been as it was supposed to be. After Elijah's little tantrum, Klaus had been sure that Dafne would have come to her senses and seen what was best for her. He had been sure that she would have finally been his.

She had enjoyed their night together, he was sure of it, although it had seemed that she had felt guilty afterwards. Klaus honestly couldn't understand why. She and Elijah had never been together and obviously he didn't want that kind of relationship with her. Why should she feel guilty? Perhaps some tiny part of him had also told him that he had gone too far, but he hadn't been able to think clearly after Katerina had left and become a vampire.

All he had wanted was to make someone pay. Elijah had been the one he had blamed and he would have daggered him if Dafne wouldn't have come to Klaus' chamber that night and offered him the agreement. Unfortunately the damn girl had known perfectly well that she had something that he wanted. Something he had wanted for way too long.

There was no way he would have missed the opportunity of finally having her. Had it been worth it? Yes, it had. Would he have settled for that one night? No. There was something annoyingly addictive about that girl. What that something was, he really didn't know. What she offered was perfect contentment. Peace. He wanted to feel that again. He wanted her back.